title: Elderly Algerian women lose their sex-advantage in terms of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular profile.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several studies have shown lower carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) levels in women compared to men, a difference that could partially explain the increased longevity in women. However, these studies have been performed in industrial countries while few data are available in emerging populations. We studied arterial stiffness, as evaluated by cfPWV, in elderly Algerian men and women.
  
  
  METHODS
  cfPWV was studied in 321 Algerian men (81.2 ± 5.3 years) and women (81.1 ± 4.4 years). An age-matched and sex-matched cohort of European individuals (n = 321) was used as a control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparatively to men, Algerian women exhibited higher BMI and heart rate (HR), higher prevalence of hypertension, and were more frequently treated for hypertension. cfPWV was not different between Algerian men (14.8 ± 3.3 m/s) and women (14.9 ± 3.4 m/s). By contrast, in Europeans, women had lower cfPWV (12.7 ± 2.7 m/s) than men (14.0 ± 3.3 m/s; P <0.001). Comparatively to European women, Algerian women had a higher cfPWV (P <0.01). In both ethnic groups, multivariate analyses revealed that age, mean blood pressure (BP), HR, and diabetes were positively associated with cfPWV, whereas female sex was associated with lower cfPWV only in Europeans.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elderly Algerian women exhibit arterial stiffness similar to men, whereas European women display lower arterial stiffness than men. This loss of 'arterial sex advantage' in Algerians may be explained by higher BP, HR, and a worse metabolic profile in Algerian women. Interventions in emerging populations, especially in women, should be a priority in order to address these risk factors by acting on current lifestyle.
authors.affiliation: aCardiology Centre, Ghardaia, Algeria bDepartment of Geriatrics, University Hospital of Nancy cFaculty of Medicine, Inserm U961 dUniversité de Lorraine, Nancy, France eEl Menia Hospital fDirectorate of Health gDiabetes Center, Ghardaia, Algeria hDepartment of Cardiology, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy iAP-HP, Paris Descartes University, Diagnosis and Therapeutic Center, Hôtel-Dieu, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Temmar
authors.forename: Ghassan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watfa
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Joly
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kearney-Schwartz
authors.forename: Merabia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Youcef
authors.forename: Selt
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bensalah
authors.forename: Yahia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mustapha
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salvi
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gautier
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Safar
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Labat
authors.forename: Athanase
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benetos
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000462:Algeria; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*; D044465:White People